Their recent share price drop (16% yesterday) got me thinking about this. I used to get the ocasional clothing item back in the day but now I wouldn't really bother. According to this article:

"Kathmandu's typical customer is a middle-aged man, who works for the government and drives a Subaru. They love to set out into the bush and explore, and when they do they get kitted out from top to bottom in Kathmandu gear."

I have strong criticisms of the store with their "outrageous prices then have a 50% sale" method.
However particularly during these sales and because an outlet store is nearby I sometimes wander in and pick up something that I think is reasonable value.

Most recent purchase was some polypro thermals for my daughter, $15 ea.

Have taken one of their tents across Bass Strait, by kayak, thrice. Had a pole snap at the beginning of the last two trips, and although they showed signs of salt-water corrosion, Kathmandu have replaced them, free of charge - and I only took them to a Sydney store for size comparison.

Once upon a time, I bushwalked with the NPA. Got a bit tired of the very large groups on day walks, many of whom dressed top to toe Kathmandu, and would evidently form cliques thus.

I think kathmandu does a reasonable jon of some basic clothing i have a really nice nmicrofleece that is going strong after 7-8 years. I also have a good sleeping bag of similar age (maybe 6) - i bought it after visiting the kent street mafia who at the time had some of the biggest mark-ups in the world so kathmandu seemed pretty good in comparison!

On 22/03/2012 Batey wrote:>I remember some 20 years ago my folks buying Kathmandu Sleeping bags.>Back then the quality was a lot better and i still use both the bags today>although the filling is rather thin now.>But when you can walk just next door to Macpac (in sydney anway) they>often have a lot better product for a simillar price aimed at a somewhat>different market ie people who want a product to last and perform i guess.>>Just my 2c worth anyway

I would argue this point. Macpac is no longer any better than krap-can't-do. Macpac decided that they couldn't compete with price, shipped off their manufacturing to china as well, then they changed the materials used in packs and tents and now I don't see much of a difference.
There's another company, Rodd and Gunn, completely non=climbing related, but in the 90s they made everything in New Zealand too. I have a shirt that i've worn often since I bought it in 1998 and not so much as two threads have come undone. I went back recently to discover they're now all made in china too.
I'm sorry, I'd be happy to pay the extra bucks to buy gear made in the USA, NZ, Australia, Italy. I'm sick of all this china crap.

I reckon if you know what you want you can do OK at Kathmandu at sale time.Some of their copied designs are quite functional and my gear gets used a lot and its actually been quite durable. I've had an excellent lightweight goretex jacket, thats lasted numerous climbing trips, a one person lightweight tent that has stood up to torrential Darrans rain and snow at 5000m amongst many trips and is still keeps the water out after 7 years and my old rumdoodle sleeping bag (bought at 60% off of course over 10 years ago) is still going strong to about -20. Their gaiters are fine as well. I still drop in occasionally- at sale time.

For an outdoorsy person who started up a retail chain (to promote people to get outdoors)...she is a bit of a fatty boomba!!! Bit like Professor Sherman Klump giving you advise on how to be healthy and lose weight!!!

On 22/03/2012 maxdacat wrote: borderline spam?>Their recent share price drop (16% yesterday) got me thinking about this.> I used to get the ocasional clothing item back in the day but now I wouldn't>really bother. According to this article:>>"Kathmandu's typical customer is a middle-aged man, who works for the>government and drives a Subaru. They love to set out into the bush and>explore, and when they do they get kitted out from top to bottom in Kathmandu>gear.">>Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/business/the-mountain-gets-steeper-for-kathmandu-2012032>-1vj2i.html#ixzz1poF1dJTE>>I can't really see myself in that demographic....i drive a Land Rover>:p>>I tend to favour Arcteryx and Patagonia for fit and performance so wouldn't>really touch Kathmandu stuff which seems quite expensive for what it is.

On 23/03/2012 Batey wrote:>On 22/03/2012 bobic wrote:>>Macpac isn't what it used to be but it's still a million miles from Kathmandu.>>>>That is basically my rason for buying things from there at the moment.>But yeah it has gone down hill and i wont buy anything unless its on sale.>I guess the moral of the story is shop around and you get what you pay>for.>>I think Kathmandu certainly makes things for its market and does a good>job of it. Its just now many of us on this forum are not in that target>market like 20 years ago.

But this is part of the general cycle, as soon as things become mass market and "trendy" quality goes downhill. Northface used to be awesome at just about everything they made, now only a few things are good (their high end gear, shoes, tents?). Kathmandu was okay 10-15 years ago, a lot of my Kathmandu gear from back then is still going strong. I still buy the occasional fleece and pair of pants from there (when they are over 50% off).

I'm tipping Mountain Hardwear is probably next to go, they are becoming popular. Currently I love their gear, but I think the clock is ticking. Brands come and go I think we'll just have to deal with it.

PS I saw a lot of Arc'teryx on my last trip, hopefully they are properly Canuck enough to maintain the high ground.

Just remember that when Kathmandu has a 50% off sale that just really means you paying a fair price for the average quality product you will buy. You are not getting a bargain. Their normal prices are massively over-inflated. Does Kathmandu really think that customers believe that they are getting bargains every time there is a sale. It is a complete joke. Pretty much every time I go in there or walk past there is a sale and the couple of times I have been in there when a sale wasn't on the shop was empty.

On 22/03/2012 Mike Bee wrote:>Unfortunatley now, if you want quality you buy Mont, One Planet, or one>of the overseas brands. MDs, Macpac and Kathmandu are all peas in a pod>in terms of their home brand gear quality these days.

I believe Mont is made in China too (and Paddy Pallin home-brand). Has been for 2-3 years now.
There's a claim that as a manufacturer/supplier/creater of goods you can pay the chinese companies more for higher quality, but hey, I'm not in the manufacturing/supplying/creating business so I couldn't really tell you whether the product is better for a higher price, and I'm not game to buy the products to test the theories.
Yay for Western Mountaineering sleeping bags and down products.

On 22/03/2012 maxdacat wrote:>I tend to favour Arcteryx and Patagonia for fit and performance so wouldn't>really touch Kathmandu stuff which seems quite expensive for what it is.

That's comparing apples and oranges. Both Arcteryx and Patagonia are very expensive, Arcteryx (for me) prohibitively so, while Kathmandu is solidly aimed at the everyman.

I had a friend who said that he could buy a thermal top and a windstopper from Kathmandu and still have more money than he would if he'd bought a downie from North Face - and he didn't have to worry about ripping it in shrubs or burning holes with embers. It made sense to him.